Research focusMy research currently focuses on the neural basis of memory and emotion dysfunction in schizophrenia, and the genetic factors influencing such impairments. The overall strategy of this work is to develop sensitive cognitive tests of emotional and mnemonic function and to use these in the functional neuroimaging environment. In addition I am interested in how genetic factors, specifically those associated with increased risk for major mental illness, impact on the neural basis of these behaviours. I have particularly focused on task testing medial temporal lobe function. On this basis I have undertaken tests of social, emotional and memory function in patients with schizophrenia. Using such tasks I have been able to demonstrate impairments in patients with schizophrenia that are strongly suggestive of dysfunction in the medial temporal lobe in tests of facial emotion recognition, social judgment and emotional memory (Hall, et al 2007, Neuropsychologia 25;45(6):1152-9; Hall, et al 2004, Br J Psychiatry 185:169-70). In a parallel line of investigation I have been working on the impact
of schizophrenia susceptibility genes on brain structure and function
using fMRI. Recently we have been able to demonstrate that the schizophrenia
susceptibility gene neuregulin 1 influences risk of development of psychosis
using data from the Edinburgh High Risk Study (Hall, et al 2006, Nat
Neurosci 9(12):1477-8). We have additionally shown that genetic variation
in this gene also authors both temporal lobe and frontal lobe function
as assessed by fMRI. Furthermore the same genetic variation was also
associated with impairments in IQ. In collaboration with my colleague,
Dr Andrew McIntosh, we have followed up this work and recently demonstrated
that the same genetic variant in neuregulin 1 is associated with abnormalities
in white matter density and integrity suggesting that this may be one
mechanism through which neuregulin 1 contributes to the pathological
deficits seen in schizophrenia (McIntosh, et al 2007, Molecular Psychiatry,
In Press). 
______________________________________________ Published by Marianne
Eastwood (m.eastwood@ed.ac.uk) August 2007 |
